Glass roving spray gun



Jan. 16, 1962 E. J. HUEBNER GLASS ROVING SPRAY GUN 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1960 INVENTOR. EDWARD J. HUEBNER ATTORN EYS Jan. 16, 1962 E. J. HUEBNER GLASS ROVING SPRAY GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 7, 1960 INVENTOR. EDWARD J. HUEBNER 'ATTO'RN S Jan. 16, 1962 E. J. HUEBNER GLASS ROVING SPRAY GUN '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July '7, 1960 INVENTOR EDWARD J HUEBNER Wm A TTORNEY 33,016,669 GLASS Elli/ENG SPRAY GUN Edward It. Huebner, Rome, N.Y., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force Filed July 7, 1960, Ser. No. 41,453 a Claims. (Cl. 30-249) (Granted under Title 35, US. Qode (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United State Government for governmental purpose Without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a portable device for use in chopping roving material such as glass fiber and delivering or spraying the fiber in connection with an air blast onto a surface to be coated therewith in conjunction with existing binder and spray guns in the preform process of reinforcing plastics.

An object of the invention is the provision of a simple, inexpensive device for feeding the roving material at a predetermined rate, chopping the roving material to substantially predetermined lengths and spraying the chopped material in a directed or directable spray for delivery to a selected surface in the process of preforming reinforcing plastics such as reinforced glass fiber.

A further obiect is a device for chopping roving material into desired lengths and means for regulating and controlling the rate of feed of the roving material to the cutters.

A further object is the provision of a device which includes centrifugal fan or blower means driven in concentric relation to rotary cutter means, including an inclosing casing therefor, having a tangentially disposed converging delivery nozzle for delivering the roving material from the casing in a concentrated stream or spray.

A further object is the provision of common motor means for rotating the impeller or fan means at a predetermined speed and gearing means therefrom for rotating the rotary cutter means at a predetermined slower rate including roving material feeding means rotatable at a predetermined still slower ratio for feeding the roving material into the rotary cutter means at a slower predetermined ratio relative to the rate of rotation of the rotary cutter means.

A further object is the provision of adjustable friction drive means for advancing the roving material into the rotary roving cutter means for varying and interrupting the feeding action thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures:

FIG. 1 is a top elevation of the invention, parts be ing broken away to show some of the internal elements thereof;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to PEG. 1 but with the blower casing, blower fan, and rotary cutter means removed, and the blower casing shown in phantom;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken about on the irregular plane indicated by line 3--3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the complete device and with out the blower casing, etc. removed as in FIG. 2 of which FIG. 3 is a section; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken about on the plane indicated by line 5-5 including the blower casing, etc. which are omitted in PEG. 2.

Reference being made to the drawings, my improved glass roving spray gun comprises an elongated casing 1 having handle receiving sockets 2 and 3 in which are disposed respectively the tubular left and right handle bar members 4 and 5.

The casing 1, intermediate its top and bottom ends 6 and '7, has fixed therein a supporting partition or plate 8, and a top closure plate 9 closes the top end 6 of the casing 21, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 5.

A gass roving feed member in the form of a tube 10 extends longitudinally through the casing 1, being seated in an aperture 11 in the partition 8 and in a socket 12 in the top plate 9, the tube lit being suitably fixed in the casing has a flared mouth or entrance end 13 for the insertion of the cylindrical strand of glass or fiber roving material 14. The reference numeral 15 denotes a centrally disposed guide passage extending longitudinally through the tube it for feeding and guiding the roving material 14 into an outwardly flared opening 16, preferably having a flat face or shearing shoulder 17 cooperating with a four bladed rotary cutter member 18 which is mounted on a sleeve 19 for rotation in a journal bearing lit in the top plate 9. (See FIG. 2.)

A drive motor 21 is suitably fixed within the casing 1 and provided with a drive shaft 22 that extends upwardly through the center of the sleeve 19 (and journalled therein) and projects beyond the outer or top surface of the four bladed rotary cutter member 18 and has fixed thereon an eight bladed centrifugal blower fan or impeller member 23. The outer portions 24 of the impeller extend around, and above, the periphery of the rotary cutter 18, being curved longitudinally as seen in FIG. 1.

The fan or impeller 23 is secured to the motor shaft 22 and rotates with it at the speed of the motor, preferably at 860 rpm. The rotary cutter 18, however, i geared down to rotate at a slower speed or ratio to that of the impeller, preferably at 215 rpm. by a train of reduction gears 25, 26, 2'7 and 28, the gears 26 and 27 being fixed to an idler or jack shaft 29 journalled in a bracket 34} suitably fixed in stationary position in the casing ll against the partition 8. The pinion gear 25, fixed on the shaft 22, drives the gear 26, pinned on the jack shaft 29, drives this shaft at a reduced speed while the smaller gear 27 pinned on the shaft 29 drives the sleeve 19 on which the cutter 13 i fixed at a still slower ratio. From the above it will be observed that the impeller 23 and the rotary cutter 1d are both driven by the motor 21 in the same direction with the fan or impeller 23 rotating at four times the rate of rotation of the rotary cutter l8. Obviously, by changing the relative sizes of the pinion gears 25, 2.6, 2 7 and 28 other rotational ratios between the cutter l8 and fan 23 can be established.

The roving material 14 is preferably glass fiber compacted to some extent into a cylindrical rope-like form and after being inserted in the flared mouth 13 of the bore or passage 15 is advanced forwardly into frictional engagement with two oppositely disposed feeding wheels or rolls 33 and 34. The feed roll or disk 33 is the larger and positively driven by the motor. A bevel gear 35 fixed on the motor shaft 22 drives a larger bevel gear fixed to a horizontal feed shaft 3'7 which is journailed at one end at 38 in the bracket 3%, and at its other end in a bearing 39 in the side of the housing 1. The axis of shaft 37 is therefore disposed in spaced relation to the feed tube ill and the sha t carries the larger feed wheel 33 pinned or splined thereto which extends into a radial slot 4-4) extending into the guide passage 15 for frictional engagement with the cylindrical bundle of roving material 14, as best seen in FIG. 5.

The other or smaller feed wheel 34 is a clamping wheel which is movable toward and away from the feed wheel 33 against the roving material 14 through an opposite slot if in the feed tube ltl, as seen in FIG. 5. Both of the feed wheels 33 and 34 preferably have annular friction bands 42 and 43 respectively around their peripheries for frictional engagement through the slots with the roving material 14. The bands 42 and 43 may be yieldable rubbenlike material.

The adjustable wheel 34 is journalled at 44- on the bifurcated end of an axially movable rod 45 extending through a bearing 46 fixed in the wall of the casing as shown, the rod 45 extending into the tubular handle bar 4 and has shouldered thereon a spring seat washer 47 and a compression coil spring 45 bearing against the washer 4'7 and the base of the socket 2, tending to separate the friction surfaces or bands 42 and 43 and disengage the roving material.

As seen in FIG. 2 a feed control lever 49 is pivoted at 5% to the bifurcated end projection 51. on the handle bar 4 and has an arm 52 which extends into the bifurcated end 53 of the rod 45. Pressing the feed control lever 49 inwardly toward the handle bar 4 forces the wheel 34 toward the wheel 33 to cause the same to frictionally engage the roving material 14 therebetween and advance the same through the tube it) and into shearing engagement with the rotary cutter 18, while the latter is spinning.

The rate of feed (or slippage) of the feeding roller 33 can be regulated by the amount of clamping pressure applied by the manipulation of the feed control lever 49.

The other handle bar 5 is provided with a suitable manual switch 54 convenient to the handle grip for controlling the circuit though circuit wires 55 to the motor 21.

A blower casing for inclosing the impeller fan 23 and the cutter member or chopper id is disclosed at 56 being circular and surrounding the periphery of the fan 23 has a somewhat tangential output or discharge nozzle 57 which is tapered outwardly to provide a concentrated blast of roving material when the fan and cutters are rotating. The fan or blower casing 56 is provided with laterally flanged portions 58 and retained in place by suitable screw fasteners 59.

In the operation the switch 54 is closed starting the motor 21 which spins the impeller fan blades 23 and I- tates the rotary cutter 18, also rotating the larger feed wheel 33. However, since the spring 48 withdraws the smaller idler wheel from the roving material 14 no feeding of the material occurs until the feed lever is depressed.

epression or partial depression of the feed lever as controls the rate of feed of the roving material into the cutters, the material being cut off by the cutters is picked up by the rotary impeller blades and projected tangentially through the converging feed nozzle 57 to the desired point of delivery or prepared surface.

By grasping the grips on the handle bars 4 and the device can be held easily in a horizontal plane, swing back and forth, and raised and lowered, to spray the glass roving material as uniformly as desired onto a suitably prepared glass fabric or other prepared surface.

If desired the spray device for preparing the fabric surface for the comm t d roving material can be mounted on my device and the same operated in conjunction with each other. A closure for the bottom end of the casing ll may be provided if desired, also suitable intake or vent means for the fan casin may be employed if and where desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in the accompanying claims.

1 claim:

1. In a portable glass roving material spray gun for spraying roving material on a prepared receiving surface, comprising a portable elongated outer casing having an upper end, handle bar means projecting from opposite sides thereof, motor means fixed within said casing, tubular roving material guide means extending throughout said casing having a receiving end for receiving the roving material therein and a discharge end for delivering the roving material therefrom, roving material advancing means driven by said motor means for advancing said roving material through said guide means, rotary cutter means at said discharge end having radial cutter blades driven by said motor means for severing the roving material delivered through the discharge end of said guide means, centrifugal bladed impeller means at the upper end of said casing above said cutter means driven by said motor means inclosing one side and the periphery of said rotary cutter means for receiving roving material severed by said rotary cutter and projecting the same centrifugally therefrom, a blower casing inclosing the upper end of the first mentioned casing and said rotary cutter blades and said centrifugal impeller, having a tangential converging discharge nozzle for receiving said roving material from rotary cutter blades and said centrifugal impeller for spraying the same in a converging blast through said nozzle onto a surface prepared for the reception thereof.

2. in a portable glass roving spray gun, an inclosing casing having an upper end and a lower end, handle means for manipulating said casing, power driven means fixed within said casing having a drive shaft, tubular roving material guide means fixed in said casing parallel to said drive shaft having a receiving end at said lower end of said casing and a delivery end at the upper end of said casing, rotary roving material advancing means projecting into said tubular guide means intermediate its ends for frictionall-y advancing the roving material through said tubular guide means and out through said delivery end, a speed reduction gear train connected between said rotary roving material advancing means and said drive shaft for driving said advancing means at a predetermined slower ratio to the rate of rotation of said drive shaft, a drive sleeve journalled on said drive shaft in the upper end of said casing, a rotary multibladed roving cutter concentrically fixed on said sleeve for rotation therewith, drive means between said drive shaft and said sleeve including a second speed reduction gear train for driving said rotary cutter in the same rotative direction as the drive shaft at a predetermined speed ratio intermediate the speed of rotation of said drive shaft and speed of said roving material advancing means, said rotary cutter having radial shearing blades disposed in a plane in juxtaposed relation to the discharge end of said tubular guide means for shearing the roving material advanced through said tubular guide means, a centrifugal multibladed impeller having radial blades surrounding one side and the periphery of said rotary cutter means having a greater diameter than the diameter of said rotary cutter means and fixed on said drive shaft for receiving the roving material cut by said rotary cutter means and projecting the same substantially tangentially therefrom, an inclosing casing inclosing the upper end of said casing, said rotary impeller and said rotary cutter means, having an outwardly converging discharge nozzle for receiving the roving material from said rotary impeller and discharging the same in a concentrated blast for delivery to a surface prepared to receiving the roving material thereon.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 including adjustable pressure exerting means within said inclosing casing intermedial said upper and lower ends thereof extending into said tubular guide means opposite said advancing means for forcing said roving material into advancing frictional engagement with said advancing means, and manually operable means on said handle means connected to said adjustable pressure exerting means for moving the same toward said advancing means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 including spring means within said inclosing casing for yieldably withdrawing said adjustable pressure exerting means in a direction away from said advancing means to relieve the frictional engagement of said advancing means on the roving material when disposed in said tubular guide means.

5. In a portable glass roving material handling spray gun for spraying roving material on a prepared surface comprising, a portable support, means for feeding glass roving material through said support, rotary cutter means carried by said support for severing the glass roving material during the feeding thereof, concentric blower means surrounding and carried by said rotary cutter means for receiving the severed glass roving material from the rotary cutter means and projecting the roving material tangentially from said blower means, a blower casing carried by said support in surrounding relation to said concentric blower and cutter means having an outwardly converging discharge nozzle for concentrating the roving material delivered by said nozzle in a spray disposed in a plane normal to the axis of said cutter and blower means.

6. A portable glass roving spray gun comprising, a hollow casing having upper and lower ends, and a supporting partition intermediate said upper and lower ends, said hollow casing having a central axis, a drive motor fixed within said casing having a drive shaft extending forwardly through said upper end, an upper end closure plate closing the upper end of said casing through which said drive shaft extends, a drive sleeve loosely journalled on said drive shaft extending through and journalled in said upper end closure plate, a roving material feeding guide tube extending through said casing in parallel relation to said drive shaft having an outwardly flared roving material receiving mouth at the lower end of the casing, and fixed in said partition and in said upper end closure plate, said upper end closure plate having an outwardly flared discharge opening formed therein for receiving the roving material having a shearing shoulder at one side of the outwardly fiared discharge opening in the upper end closure plate, a rotary multibladed cutter having radial shearing blades adjacent its periphery for cooperative shearing engagement with said shearing shoulder to cut the roving material being fed through said guide tube, a multibladed blower and impeller fixed to the upper end of said drive shaft having radially disposed blades extending upwardly from the upper surface of the upper end closure plate a distance greater than the width of the shearing blades and having a diameter greater than the diameter of the rotary shearing cutter, said rotary impeller having a cutout portion facing said upper end closure plate intermediate its periphery for receiving the rotary shearing cutter therein, gear means for driving said shearing cutter from said drive shaft in the same rotative direction at a slower rate of rotation, rotary roving material feeding means journalled in said casing disposed for frictional engagement with roving material in said feed tube and gear means between said feeding means and said drive sleeve for rotating said feeding means at a slower rotational rate than the rate of rotation of said rotary shearing means, an impeller closing casing fixed to the upper end of the first mentioned casing in surrounding relation to said rotary impeller having a tangentially disposed converging discharge outlet, disposed in the plane of rotation of the rotary impeller means.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 including a pair of manipulating handles projecting from the opposite sides of said inclosing casing, switch means in one of said handles for controlling the operation of said drive motor, and manually operable lever means in the other handle 6 for controlling the frictional feeding of the rotary material in the guide tube by said rotary feeding means.

8. In a glass roving spray gun, a support having an upper end, tubular means for guiding glass .roving material through said support in a cylindrical string-like form, rotary cutter means journalled in said support having radial cutter blades disposed to successively wipe the said upper end and discharge end of the tubular guiding means for cutting the roving material discharged therefrom and projecting the cut material radially outward centrifugally, means for rotating said rotary cutter means at a predetermined rotational rate, means for advancing the roving material in the tubular guide means toward said upper end and rotary cutter means including a friction disk extending radially into the tubular guide means intermediate the ends thereof for frictional advancing engagement with the roving material, drive means operatively connected between the rotary cutter means and said friction disk for rotating said friction disk at a predetermined slower rate than the rotational rate of the rotary cutter means, a rotary impeller concentrically disposed on the axis of said rotary cutter means having radially disposed impeller blades extending outwardly beyond the upper edge and periphery of the radial cutter means, said impeller blades having cutout portions adjacent the cutter blades shaped to closely accommodate said cutter blades, a driving connection between said rotary impeller and said rotary cutter for driving said rotary cutter therefrom at a slower rotational rate than the rotational rate of the rotary impeller, a cylindrical blower casing on the upper end of support concentrically surrounding and inclosing with said upper end, said rotary impeller and said rotary cutter, said blower casing having an outwardly converging discharge nozzle having an axis substantially tangent to the periphery of said rotary impeller in the ex tended plane thereof, handle means extending from said support for manual manipulation thereof for directing the direction of discharge of the cut roving material projected by said rotary impeller through said discharge nozzle.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which said tubular guide means is formed with a radial opening therein opposite said friction disk and include pressure applying means extending into said radial opening for engagement with the roving material for pressing the same into frictional advancing contact with said friction disk, spring means connected to said pressure applying means normally urging the same in a direction away from said friction disk to reduce the frictional contact of the fn'ction disk on said roving material, and manually operable means on said handle means connected to said pressure applying means for forcing said pressure applying means toward said friction disk in opposition to said spring means for increasing the frictional advancing contact of the friction disk on the roving material in the tubular means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

